


Swans

by KQHazel



Category: Life with Derek
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Swan Princess (1994) Fusion, Ballet, F/M, Swan Lake - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:28:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29077122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KQHazel/pseuds/KQHazel
Summary: Cursed by an evil sorcerer, Princess Casey is trapped as a swan in the daytime***Inspired by Casey’s Swan Lake poster
Relationships: Casey McDonald & Derek Venturi, Casey McDonald/Derek Venturi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 16
Collections: 🌼 Dasey Fairytale Project





	Swans

There was once a princess called Casey, the first-born daughter of King Dennis and Queen Nora.

Her birth was celebrated throughout the kingdoms, and she was showered with gifts from noble families around the land. One of these families were the royal Venturis of Ontario, King George and his Queen Abby who shared a son near Princess Casey's age, Prince Derek. It was decided between the parents that their children would one day marry and join the two kingdoms forever.

Every summer, Princess Casey would join her mother to visit Prince Derek, but neither child was interested in a marriage with the other. Prince Derek much preferred playing with his friends, Samuel and Ralph, during Princess Casey's visits while she only enjoyed visiting for the ball King George would throw in their honour. Every moment the betrothed pair spent together was filled with petty arguments and silly insults.

On her sixteenth summer, King George had made the announcement.

"I am pleased to announce," he declared. "That the marriage between my son, Prince Derek, and the beautiful Princess Casey can finally be arranged."

" _What_?" Casey had screeched.

"Father," Derek stood up from his spot at the dining table, slamming his hands onto the surface. "You can't make me marry that freak!"

"How dare you!" yelled Casey, crossing her arms. "You would be lucky to have me. You, however, are disgusting and rude and-"

"You are _insane_!" Derek retaliated. "And spoiled and I wouldn't marry you if you were the last girl on the planet!"

"The feeling is mutual!" she huffed, storming from the room.

Queen Nora fled after her daughter, leaving behind a pleased Prince Derek and furious King George.

They didn’t know it, but the wicked sorcerer Truman, whom had been banished years earlier by King Dennis, was waiting for them. He felt revenge within his grasp.

When Casey saw him, it was too late. There was a bright flash, and suddenly Truman had transformed into a scaled beast.

Later, Derek stumbled across the wreckage of their carriage where he found one of their guards barely conscious.

“He attacked,” he gasped. “The Queen- Princess- He got-”

Derek’s eyes widened, and he fled into the trees in search of Princess Casey and her mother.

Frantically, he searched until he came upon the body of Queen Nora.

“Your majesty?” Derek knelt down beside her and was relieved to see her chest rise and fall with every breath. “What happened? Where is Princess Casey?”

“Princess Casey is-” she struggled, her final breath. “-is gone.”

Meanwhile, deep, deep into the forest, a beautiful swan drifted through the lake. This was no ordinary swan, but in fact Princess Casey under a wicked curse placed upon her by the evil sorcerer.

“Don’t need to look so sad,” said Truman. “This little spell only works in the day. You’ll still be human at night. You can be human always if you just agree to marry me.”

She bit him.

King George soon arranged a ball for his son to meet the eligible princesses in the land, hopeful he would choose a new bride. Derek was uninterested, despite the many kind and beautiful princesses that came. He found himself unable to think of anything but the Princess Casey, convinced she was alive, that she simply _had_ to be alive.

Though they had argued and bickered constantly, the idea that he would never see her again made him miserable, even more so as he blamed himself for her disappearance. If he had been nicer, she would have never ran. She would be safe.

One day, Derek decided he could not accept that she was gone, and he set off back into the woods in search of her.

After days of searching, Derek had almost given up as the night approached, but pushed further until he came across the very lake that the Princess was in.

He watched, fascinated, as she glided through the water. Then, when the moon appeared, her feathers glowed a glorious white and she transformed into the beautiful Princess that he knew.

“Casey!” called Derek.

She turned, her hair flowing behind her, and stared at him in awe as he charged towards her. Derek wrapped his arms around her, sweeping her off her feet. In her shock, she hesitated before hugging him back.

It surprised her, but she realised quite suddenly that she had missed him greatly despite their somewhat hostile relationship.

“I knew you were alive,” his words were muffled by her thick brown hair as he held her still. “I knew it.”

“You must go,” she told him, pulling back. “He will kill you if he sees you, Derek. You can’t stay.”

“Who?” asked Derek. “What?”

“I’m cursed,” said Casey urgently. “Once the moon has gone, I’ll turn into a swan again.”

Derek pleaded. “There’s got to be a way to break it.”

“Yes.” Casey nodded in agreement. “A public vow of everlasting love.”

He cupped her cheek in his hand, and smiled. “I love you, Princess.”

They kissed softly, pulling each other close. When their lips parted, Derek wondered why he had never kissed her in all the time he spent with her. Then, she hit his across the arm.

“ _Public_ ,” she repeated, rolling her eyes. “It must be a witnessed by many people.”

Derek had an idea. “My father is throwing a ball tomorrow. Find a way to the castle and I will declare my love for you in front of everyone in the kingdom.”

Casey nodded and he went to leave.

“Wait,” she called after him and he paused. “I love you, too.”

Derek smirked. “I was hoping you did.”

He disappeared into the woods, leaving behind his bow and arrow in his distracted state.

But Truman had been near and heard of their plan. Once the Prince was long gone, he revealed himself, taking Casey forcibly and locking her in his dungeon.

“You’re never going to get to the palace,” he bellowed. “But she will!”

Suddenly, an elderly woman Casey had never seen before appeared and Truman enchanted her. Grotesquely, her skin bubbled like boiled water and burst like spots of pus. There was smoke, and then she had turned into an exact replica of Princess Casey.

“What are you doing?” demanded Casey.

“When she goes to the ball and the Prince declares his love to the wrong woman,” Truman laughed. “You will die.”

Unbeknownst to Truman, there was a small escape hatch in the dungeon just big enough for Casey to get through in her swan form. She managed to free herself and looked up at the sky.

Any moment now, she would turn into her regular self, but would she be too late?

With the sunset on her wings, Casey flew as quickly as she could over the trees towards the castle, praying she could make it.

After what felt like an awfully long time, she landed on the ballroom window, out of breath and exhausted. She gasped when she saw the Prince as he was dancing with her enchanted doppelgänger.

“Derek!” cried Casey to no avail. “It’s not me! It’s a trick, Derek!”

The song ended, and Casey watched in horror as Derek brought everyone’s attention to him.

“The moon isn’t even out yet, Derek!” she said, exasperated. “That can’t be me! Use your brain!”

“Everyone,” he called out, his hand wrapped around the stranger in disguise. “Tonight, in front of all of our guests, I vow my everlasting love to... Princess Casey.”

There was a roar of cheers throughout the room. King George beamed. Outside, however, Casey sobbed, her heart heavy with despair.

Suddenly, cheers turned to screams as the doors flew open and banged harshly into the walls. Truman entered, a grin on his face.

“You’re too late!” said Derek proudly. “I broke your curse. I vowed my love to Casey.”

“You idiot,” sneered Truman. “You vowed your love to an imposter!”

Derek watched in horror as the woman he believed to be Casey transformed before him into the old hag. He turned and watched as the true Casey flew from the window, back towards the lake.

“Casey!” he called, running after her.

When he found her, she was weak. He fell beside her, taking her in his arms.

“This is my fault,” he said. “I can’t believe I fell for his trick. You can’t die. I love you. I love you.” His face screwed up in anger. “You hear me, Truman? I LOVE HER! I vow my everlasting love to her!”

Truman appeared, transforming once again into a terrifying beast. Derek jumped to his feet. In the corner of his eye, he saw the bow and arrow he had discarded there a day before. Quickly, he took no hesitation before readying his arrow and releasing it. The arrow pierced through Truman’s heart, and he collapsed. With his sudden death, Casey’s curse was finally broken.

Shortly after, King George arranged the wedding for his son and Princess Casey, declaring it the most extravagant wedding they had ever thrown.

While overlooking the kingdom, Casey turned to her husband and asked, “Will you love me forever?”

“No,” he teased. “I’ll love you a lot longer than that.”

And they laughed, knowing that it was true.


End file.
